Ex-Wife is a Big Villainess
Chapter 51 - 47 Unsheath the Sword!

Chapter 51: Chapter 47 Unsheath the Sword!

In Dazhou, where Sects abound, Famous Sword Villa might not compare to the top factions like Zhenxuan Mountain, Sword Pavilion, or Danxia Mountain, but it still has a renowned reputation in Jianghu.

As the third son of Famous Sword Villa, even without riding on his forebears’ coattails, Fang Ziheng, by virtue of his own Grandmaster Realm and the widely known "Asking Dao" Swordsmanship, could make most people in Jianghu look up to him, taking pride in befriending him.

Otherwise, how could this wealthy man of no small repute entrust his treasured son to him with such peace of mind?

However, believing he had sufficiently lowered his stance, the young man before him was not appreciative. Even someone as good-natured as Fang Ziheng began to feel a surge of irritation.

The woman saw that Jiang Shouzhong was being so ungracious and couldn’t help but sneer coldly.

More of them privately ridiculed Fang Ziheng’s foolish niceness, his warm face pressing against someone’s cold butt.

The wealthy man frowned, feeling a sense of regret inwardly.

So young and impetuous, he thought, having given you a way out, yet you refuse to take it, truly believing that a mere Dark Lantern can intimidate everyone?

Must you suffer before you understand the weight of "regret"?

Just as the atmosphere became tense, another voice suddenly floated over,

"I can attest that this young man’s words are all true; he indeed saved the child."

The crowd turned their heads, only to see a dark-skinned man, dressed in azure robes with the air of a scholar, smiling gleefully as he approached, carrying a patched bag on his back.

Jiang Shouzhong was taken aback.

It was Mr. Yan, the same man who had sold him books earlier.

The woman was already fuming when she saw this shabby old scholar butt in, and she angrily scolded, "Where does this country bumpkin come from? Get lost!"

Mr. Yan chuckled, "Came from my mother’s womb, can’t roll back there. If you have the ability, maybe you could try?"

The woman was taken aback, at a loss for a retort.

To the arriving Mr. Yan, Fang Ziheng paid no mind but decided to give Jiang Shouzhong another chance, asking softly, "Is it so hard to say sorry?"

"I would like to ask you the same question."

Jiang Shouzhong said indifferently.

Fang Ziheng let out a light sigh, took the precious sword from the Attendant Student’s arms, and said gravely,

"Right or wrong doesn’t matter anymore. He is my disciple, and if my disciple has been wronged, it’s as if the master himself has lost face. This lost face, as a master, I should reclaim.

I see you have no cultivation, but being a member of the Liushan Division, you must have learned a few moves. So I will only exert a third of my strength in one strike, which won’t be considered bullying you with my power.

This strike won’t take your life, at most it’ll have you bedridden for two or three days. If you can withstand it, consider it your skill, and this irrelevant grudge of right and wrong will be settled."

Upon hearing these "generous" words, Jiang Shouzhong remained expressionless.

While the woman was gleefully anticipating disaster.

A Grandmaster Realm’s sword strike, even at a third of its strength, would be difficult for a third-rank martial artist to catch.

Mr. Yan smiled and said, "What a coincidence, I am this boy’s master. Since he has been slandered, as his master, I should clear his name. Of course, I won’t draw a sword, but I’ll take one of your strikes."

Mr. Yan stood nonchalantly in front of Jiang Shouzhong.

Fang Ziheng was taken aback, scrutinizing this scholarly man whose body showed no flow of Qi, probing, "Do you also use a sword?"

"Learned a bit."

Mr. Yan sniffed at his wine jug, his smile rich and warm.

Fang Ziheng felt something was off, but couldn’t put his finger on what was bothering him, and irritably said, "If you also wield a sword, then let us fairly cross swords!"

"...Very well."

Mr. Yan hesitated for a moment before reluctantly agreeing.

Fang Ziheng asked, "Where is your sword?"

Mr. Yan countered, "Where is your sword?"

Fang Ziheng was startled, thinking is this man blind?

In my hand, is this not a sword?

Fang Ziheng raised his sword and declared, "This sword is named ’White Smoke;’ three and a third feet in length, forged from the Qilin stone of the Secluded Pool, inlaid with Jiaolong scales, and crafted by a hundred swordsmiths from my Famous Sword Villa. Tempered a hundred times, it is the treasure of our villa. This, is my sword."

Mr. Yan nodded slowly, "A fine sword, but is it truly your sword?"

Upon hearing this, Fang Ziheng became enraged, "Why do you utter such words to insult me? I, Fang Ziheng, as the third young master of Famous Sword Villa, scorn such thieving behavior!"

Mr. Yan squinted and smiled, "Oh, if that’s the case, then let me ask you, how many times have you drawn this sword in total?"

Fang Ziheng paused, the corner of his mouth twitching.

How many times have I drawn the sword?

How would I know that!

He started wielding a sword at the age of six, entered into sword training at Sword Cliff at nine, and at twelve, was bestowed with the sword "White Smoke" by the elder ancestor.

He had held this sword for twenty years now.

How many times he unsheathed it, how many times he wielded it, he couldn’t remember; he couldn’t possibly have counted from the beginning.

"I don’t know!"

Fang Ziheng said irritably, "Are you going to compete or not?"

Mr. Yan chuckled and asked, "Then why don’t you ask the sword in your hand each time you draw it whether it is willing to be unsheathed? If you had asked, you would naturally remember."

Those words provoked the woman into laughing derisively, "A sword is an inanimate object, how can you ask it? Has that old fool’s brain been soaked in water?"

Fang Ziheng knitted his brows tightly, saying nothing.

"Humans have a human heart, similarly, swords have a sword’s heart," Mr. Yan sighed softly and said to Fang Ziheng, "Draw your sword, if you can pull out that sword, then I will consider it your sword and worthy of a bout with me."

Upon hearing this, Fang Ziheng’s anger flared up.

I can’t even pull out my own sword?

He forcefully suppressed his rage, calming his mind, and spoke somberly, "Then I must offend you!"

Fang Ziheng gripped the sword handle.

However, the next moment, he was stunned.

The blade did not move in the slightest!

A flicker of panic crossed Fang Ziheng’s eyes as he circulated the energy throughout his body, attempting to pull out the longsword that had accompanied him for twenty years.

But no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t unsheathe it even half an inch!

His Attendant Student and the chubby man standing beside him were shocked at this sight.

Even the woman who had been watching excitedly could sense that something was amiss.

Mr. Yan shook his head in disappointment, "As a swordsman, he can’t even pull out his own sword. This swordsmanship is utterly sloppy!"

Fang Ziheng trembled, his face turning ashen, beads of sweat appearing on his forehead.

"White Smoke has three questions, Asking Heart, Asking Dao, Asking Heaven and Earth, yet you... have never asked the sword in your hand, how can you master this sword!?" Mr. Yan continued to berate.

Fang Ziheng’s face turned red from embarrassment.

Finally, he dropped his arms in defeat, looking utterly dispirited.

At that moment, he looked like a statue stripped of its vitality, covered in layers of dust, bereft of his earlier vivacity.

"Young Master!"

The Attendant Student quickly stepped forward to support Fang Ziheng.

The attendant, anxious for his master, glared angrily at Mr. Yan, "What have you done to my young master?"

Mr. Yan ignored him and glanced at the woman who had gone as silent as a cicada in winter and was as pale as death; he then looked towards the chubby man and slowly said,

"Trickery and guile are lines that fish for quarrels from the start. Children may speak carelessly and tell lies innocently, but they should not speak against their conscience or insolently deceive heaven and earth. If the young are not righteous, the adults will surely take the blame!"

The chubby man trembled, bowed with his hands clasped, "I have learned my lesson."

Jiang Shouzhong, who should have been the protagonist but became just another spectator, couldn’t help but say, "You need to reason with children. Reasoning with adults is pointless."

Mr. Yan sighed helplessly, "How do you reason with children?"

Jiang Shouzhong said in annoyance, "Obviously by patiently explaining in simple terms they can understand."

Mr. Yan huffed and glared, "Come on then, you explain."

Jiang Shouzhong indeed walked over to the little boy.

The woman’s expression changed, and she was about to intervene, but after glancing at Mr. Yan and the listless Fang Ziheng, she dared not move.

Moreover, she didn’t believe Jiang Shouzhong would dare to lay a hand on the child.

Sure enough, Jiang Shouzhong only took the little boy’s hand and gently led him to the lake’s edge, pointing at the water as he said gently,

"If you had carelessly fallen in earlier, do you know what would have happened? You would have been eaten by fish. You must never play by the water again, understand, little friend?"

The little boy, probably understanding that his parents had encountered someone they dare not provoke, had replaced his earlier arrogance with obedience.

"I understand."

The little boy nodded vigorously.

Jiang Shouzhong touched the boy’s head with a look of satisfaction, smiling, "No, you don’t understand."

Jiang Shouzhong kicked the little boy into the lake.

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